Anti-siphoning device



INVENTOR. HALF/@Eo M. No5/v Arron/v5 s Dec. 5, 1961 A. M. MoEN ANTI-SIPHONING DEVICE Filed Aug. 24, 1959 United States Patent Oice 3,011,512 Patented Dec. 5, 19161 3,011,512 n ANTI-SIPHGNING DEVICE Alfred M. Moen, 151 Lakeview Drive, Grafton, Ohio i Filed Aug. 24, 1959, Ser. No. 835,685

5 Claims. (Cl. 137-218) y This invention relates to improvements in'articles most commonly referred to in the industry to which they pertain as anti-siphoning fittings or vacuum breakers" and it has for its principal object to provide an article of that character'that is relatively inexpensive, simple in its construction and mode of use; that can be easily and readily applied to a water supply line, or the like, for its intended use and when properly applied will operate in a practical and eliicient manner, to drain the unit and v nullify any condition of vacuum or suction that may, for

any reason, be produced in the supply line incident to the loss of supply line pressure. v j It is a further object of this invention toprovide a fitting of the' character above stated that, when properly applied in a supply'line, or the like, as for example, as a connector between vafwater faucet' and a discharge tube, will operate rautomatically to permit an inflow of outside airtto theinterior. of the `fitting and thus prevent any back-flow-ofliquid lthrough the hose and to the faucet that might ble-caused bysuction created in the opensupply line incident to `any.. discontinuance vof supply line pressure.

. More specifically stated, the present invention resides in thel-provision-of a-fitting that is designed to be used als-.a connector between a supply pipe, such as a city service water-line and a discharge pipeor tube, and in which fitting a novel arrangement ofv means is provided for delivery of rtheincorning liquid from the supply pipe to the discharge tube without leakingV but which. means automatically opens foradmi'ttance of outside air to effect the ldraiingofthe fitting and nullify any condition that riiightlresult insiplio'ning liquid to the supply line. "'It/ is a furtherobject of this invention to provide anv anti-siphoning fitting of the kind or character above stated wherein the means provided for effecting the automatic admittance of outside air embodies, as one of its principal elements, a tubular coiled-spring. i y Still further objects of the'inventionreside. in the details of construction of its'various parts and 'in theircombination and mode of operation as hereinafter 'described.

In accomplishingthe, aboveI mentioned and other bjects of this invention, I have'provided the -improved det'a'il's'of cristruction,.thehpreferred forms of which V'are illustrated'in the. accompanying: drawings, wherein` FIG.- -l is an .outside...elevation' of an anti-siphoning fitting .embodied by the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-section, taken axially of the fitting, as on line 2-2 in FIG. l; showing the coiled spring and the-open spaces between I-its turnswhen liquid is not flowing through the fitting.

FIG. 3 is a similar view showing the closed joints between the turns of the coiled spring when liquid, under line pressure is flowing through the fitting.

FIG. 4 is a view illustrating the normal way in which the present fitting is applied as a connector between a water supply faucet and discharge tube.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional detail of a part of the spring used in the fitting when under compression.

FIG. 6 is an axial cross-section of an alternative form of fitting embodied by this invention.

Referring more in detail to the drawings- In FIG. 4 I have shown the usual way, in which antisiphoning fittings of the present invention may be applied for use. In this view the fitting is designated in its entirety by reference numeral 10 and it is shown to be applied to what may be the discharge spout 11 of a water faucet and has a hose 12 leading from its discharge end. It is necessary that the liquid supplied through the faucet shall be under the usual or a reasonable pressure and it is possible that the hose 12 may be extended to and have its discharge end submerged in liquid in a basin or other form of receptacle for retaining outow from the hose.

The device of this invention, in its present preferred form, as seen in FIGS. l, 2 and 3 comprises a short cylindrical body 14 threaded at its upper end into a shallow downwardly opening chamber 15 of a cap-like fitting 16 which is provided centrally on its top side with an exteriorly threaded neck or nipple 17 whereby a connection may be made with a faucet or the like, supplying liquid under pressure as from a city service water line. ln FIG. 4, this connection is shown as being made by threading the neck 17 into the discharge spout 11 of a faucet; the joint being sealed against leakage by an interposed gasket 19 applied to part 16 as seen in FIG. 2.

The neck portion 17 of the fitting 16 is shown to be coaxially bored as at 20 to provide for inflow of water and'leading from the lower end of this bore, eccentrically thereof, yare' passages 22 that open directly through the flat top surface ofthe downwardly opening chamber 15 of the fitting V16,- Disposed coaxially within the cylindrical bodyltl is a tubular fitting 25 formed at its upper A end with an upwardly directed annular flange 26 that seats, about its peripheral edge portion, upon the upper end surface of the cylindrical body 14 as threaded upwardly intothe chamber 15. Located between the flat top surface of the chamberv and the flanged upper end of the fitting 25 is a flexible disk or diaphragm 30; of rubber or the like formed at its center with a liquid discharge hole 31. of relatively small-area.

It is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 that the edge of the ilexible diaphragm 3) is clamped in a water tight joint beL tween the peripheral edge of the flange 26 and top -or upper end surface of the chamber into which'the body-14 is threaded. Also, it is to be noted that'V the flanged upper surface of fitting 25 is downwardly dished to substantial extent to permit downward flexing of the diaphragm.

That portion of the tubular fitting 25 which is en` closed by the body 14 is of substantially lesser outsidediameter than the interior diameter of the body 14 and is formed with a plurality of air ports 35 opening into its tubular passage.V The lower end portion of fitting 25 Vis formed with a series of annular ribs 36 designed to facili-` tate the securement of the hose-12 thereon. Also, the passage that extends axially through fitting 25 is of two, diameters and thus provides an upwardly facing shoulder, 37 therein. The upper end portionof the passage through the tubular fitting 25 is herein designated at 25:..` andl will be referred to as the spring chamber. It is ofv cylindrical form and opens at its upper end directly into the chamber 15. The lower end portion of the tubularl passage, which is of lesser diameter, is designatedherein by reference numeral 25d and will be referred to as the dicsharge passage. Seated on the shoulder 37 is the lower end of a coiled spring 38 which is loosely and coaxially contained in the spring chamber 25C. The spring has its upper end contained in a short metal cap 39 which has a sliding telescopic fit in the upper end of the spring chamber and bears upwardly against the under side of the rubber diaphragm 30. This cap has a hole 40 through its top registering with the hole 31 of the diaphragm. It is to be observed however, that hole 31 is not in registration with any of the discharge ports 22 in part 16.

The coiled spring 3S has an inside diameter slightly greater than the discharge passage 25d through the lower end portion of tting 25 and its convolutions or coils are rather closely spaced and are coated with or enclosed in a continuous rubber or plastic sleeve 38 as shown in FIG. 5. When no water is owing through the fitting 3 10, the coated turns or convolutions of the spring are slightly spaced, as in FIG. 2, but when water is flowing into the chamber under the intended diaphragm depressing pressure, they will be in close joint sealing contact, as in FIG. 3.

When the fitting 10 is properly applied for use, as, for example, in FIG. 4, between a faucet supplying liquid under pressure and a discharge tube, as at 12, its operation will be as follows:

When the faucet is opened, liquid therefrom, under pressure, enters the fitting 10 and acts through passages 22 against the diaphragm 30 and ilexes it downwardly and causes it to act downwardly against cap 39 and to so compress the spring 3S that its rubber covered coils will be pressed tightly together and the normally open spaces between them tightly closed. The spring then functions as a non-leaking tubular duct through which the water ows directly from the diaphragm and cap ports, through the spring to hose 12. In the event that the supply line pressure should be temporarily discontinued and the faucet left open, the spring compressing force applied through the diaphragm is lost and the spring expands, thus restoring the open spaces between the coils of the spring. This admits air to the discharge passage 25d and permits the draining of the fitting. Also, any suction in the water supply line, that might be cause, for any reason, whereby liquid could be siphoned back through the hose 12 and diaphragm is counteracted by the admission of outside air vto the line through the open air ports 35 in the fitting 25, and thence between the coils to the area of the spring chamber 25e. This is the siphoning or suction breaking function of the present fitting which takes place automatically with the loss of supply line pressure even though the diaphragm may be stuck or otherwise retained in open condition. As soon as supply line pressure is restored, the parts will again resume the relationship shown in FIG. 3; then with the closing of the faucet, the parts will .resume the normal relationship of FIG. 2.

.In the alternative device `of FIG. 5 all parts are substantially the same as in the device of FIG. l and have been ygiven like reference numerals. However, in this device the turns of the coiled spring are not encased in `a rubber tube or plastic coating but are substantially spaced apart and a tube 50, of any Asuitable material, is enclosed eoaXially within the spring. This tube is spot welded to the :spring mid-way of its ends .as at 51. Its length is such as to be spaced slightly, at its upper end from the diaphragm when the latter is not depressed. Likewise, its lower 4end is slightly spaced from the spring supporting shoulder 37 in fitting 25. Thus, to admit outside a'ir to the discharge passage and supply line in the event of lack or loss of ilu'id pressure in the line. The length of tube .50, however, -is sufficient that, under normal line pressure, the downward `flexing of the diaphragm 30 will cause the opposite ends of this tube to be sealed with the diaphragm and shoulder 37 for the outflow of 4 liquid received from the fa`ucet in the same manner as previously described.

Devices of the kinds described are easy to apply, effec tive in use and can be equipped with various means for their convenient connection to faucets, supply lines and discharge pipes, tubes or hoses.

What I claim as new is:

1. An anti-Siphoning fitting adapted for insertion in a liquid delivery line, said fitting comprising a diaphragm chamber, a receiving port at one end of said chamber for the ow of liquid therethrough, a discharge member including a passage therethrough leading from the opposite end of said chamber, means permitting the inflow of air to said discharge passage, a flexible diaphragm dividing the chamber between said receiving port and said discharge passage, an opening in said diaphragm in alignment with said discharge passage, a liquid conducting member resiliently and movably disposed with clearance within and lengthwise of said discharge passage, said liquid conducting member being engageable with and movable by said ilexiblev diaphragm incident vto the delivery of liquid against said diaphragm and said liquid conducting member normally permitting air to pass therethrough and being sealed liquid tight by pressure yfrom said diaphragm.

2. The device as in claim 1 wherein said liquid conducting member includes a coiled spring anda tube secured to the spring intermediate the ends thereof and said tube being of greater length than the spring when the spring vis compressed to the maximum extent.

3. The anti-siphoning fitting recited in claim 1 wherein said liquid conducting member comprises a coiled spring with its turns normally slightly spaced, and which is rendered serviceable as a liquid tight duct by the endwise compression thereof effected by pressure of the flexed diaphragm. thereagainst.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein said discharge member includes a tube formed at its top end with a peripheral flange threaded into said chamber and thereby tightened against the periphery of vsaid diaphragm to clamp and seal the latter in the chamber, said tube including a downwardly dished top surface forming the lower end wall of the chamber, a spring chamber with said tube and said spring being positioned within said spring chamber.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein a cylindrical cap is applied over the upper end of said spring and is telescopically received in the upper end of said spring chamber.

FOREIGN PATENTS France June so, 193.1 

